30.11.

1872: First International Football (Soccer) Match

Story Highlights

historical event: A difference from modern football was that the goals did not have crossbars, but only a tape that marked their top. The drawings depict certain moments from the match.

The first official international football match was played on this day back in 1872, between the Scottish and English national teams. It took place in the town of Patrick near Glasgow, Scotland, and attracted around 4,000 spectators. The result was 0-0.

The date of the match was symbolic, since it marks St. Andrew’s Day, who is the patron saint of Scotland. Indeed, today’s date is a public holiday in Scotland. The English wore white shirts, while the Scots wore blue, similarly to today. A difference from modern football was that the goals did not have crossbars, but only a tape that marked their top. The Scots set up in a 2-2-6 formation, and the English in a 1-1-8 (today a very unusual formation, with as many as 8 players forward!).